The end of may or early june things should be going well. We can get a serious feast going. If the crabs aren’t chewing then we always have tons of other food 
we just need @jcostiones to fly up here and join the party!
1 Like
We are really looking forward to it.
Mrs. P’s sneakers have 2 inch heels 
1 Like
It’s so good! Some restaurants here have it, they’re usually not as good as in Korea but good enough. Some Korean markets will have it also.
So long story short after my appointment last night I came home and my son who recently came home from college hadn’t eaten yet so I took him to the Chinese Buffet in Eatontown. It’s been a favorite “boys-night out” spot for us since he was a little kid. While I’ll admit I am addicted to their peel n eat shrimp, they actually picked up their sushi game quite a bit, several new rolls included tempura shrimp which were pretty good.
While I never saw them re-stock the snow crab legs, which doesn’t really matter to me I’m not a huge fan, they did have blue claw crabs served halved in salt and pepper. {{Calling Mr. @corvette_johnny Calling Mr. @corvette_johnny}} so that was a nice addition. (again not really my thing so I didn’t try them)
They did have half of one of the buffet bars completely empty so it looks like they cut back on about a half dozen or so items, not that I can tell you what they were. All in all it’s still a sad place for mediocre Chinese Food, but you can strap on the feed bag at a reasonable price and as I said it’s been a steady place of ours for years now so we will continue to support it.
4 Likes
Not refilling crabs? That’s a travesty!! I want to say they’ve had the fried blue crab before but I can’t seem to remember.
I hope they can stay in business! Did you get their prime rib? It’s a guilty pleasure of mine.
1 Like
Has anyone been to PJ Lee’s in brick lately? I haven’t been in probably a decade but I think they are still going strong.
We were there in January. We go once or twice a year. It is unchanged from your last visit a decade ago.
From what I remember, it is similar to the China buffet experience in Eatontown, if you get you “make your own” stir fry. I think they had quite a few more sauces and vegetables at pj Lee’s but I do remember it was some tasty stuff and it was interesting experimenting with different flavors. I’m just never in brick anymore so I stopped going.
1 Like
I absolutely loved PJ Lee’s when it was in Red Bank! Went once a week at least. I’m happy that the one in Brick is still open, but it was just never as good as RB. Now I have to go there. Damn you!
FYI: a Japanese restaurant is moving into the former Royal China Buffet (and later Hao Sushi and Seafood Buffet) in Middletown’s Shop Rite Plaza. No other info other than that it is a “Japanese restaurant”. Give the size of the location, I would imagine this will be a buffet also, or at least hibachi.
More Asian moving into a market already flooded with Asian restaurants.
More at 11.
3 Likes
Not really Chinese (there are a few Chinese dishes), but Hanok Buffet opened in East Brunswick where the old sushi buffet was. They have Korean style sushi, Korean BBQ (not cook at table) and a variety of hot dishes. For $3 more you can get shabu shabu - meats are ordered from the server, but the veggies and fish cake are buffet style.
When we went they didn’t have all the beverages listed on the menu and were still working out a few kinks, but it is a nice addition to the Jersey buffet scene.
2 Likes
I’m waiting for a review from someone here after it’s really opened. Yelp reviewers seem very bi-modal about it.
I am bi-modal about it, leaning towards optimistic. The common complaints on Yelp are true (hot food is not kept hot enough, sushi rolls aren’t labelled, not all of the drinks listed on the menu are available), but these are all things that can be fixed. The staff is really nice (especially for an Asian restaurant), the newly remodeled interior looks great, and the ingredient quality is high. It is about an hour away from us, so I’ll probably wait another month or two and try it again.
1 Like
A shot of the new Japanese restaurant coming to Middletown’s Shop Rite Plaza. Unlike previously speculated, it will not be a buffet. The space once held by Hao and Royal China Buffet has been carved up and their location is not large enough to accommodate one. Judging by a quick look inside, they appear to have a while to go. Here’s to hoping this isn’t just another cookie-cutter Asian Fusion restaurant that we have a million of already.
1 Like
And let me add my formal blog post:
Unlike previously speculated, the new Japanese restaurant moving into Middletown’s Shop Rite Plaza will not be a buffet. While the previous two businesses to occupy the space have been buffets (Royal China and later Hao Sushi and Seafood), the area has now been divided and there is no longer enough room for such a set-up. The new restaurant will be Takumi Japanese Cuisine, with a sign going up in the last couple of weeks. So far, they are only advertising sushi, but I imagine they will have Bento Boxes, teriyaki, udon noodles, and the like.
They come to an area already jammed with Japanese and Japanese-leaning Asian Fusion restaurants, including Nemo, Koi, Fuku, Sono, Ichiban, Nakayama, and Matata, all located within five miles. Will they be able to stand out? That will be their biggest challenge, and new restaurants have no shortage of those regardless of where they open up. Judging by a quick look inside, it appears they have quite a bit of work to do. The seating area might have room for 10 or 12 tables.
If the owners are reading this and can shed additional light on Takumi, please contact me! Best of luck!
2 Likes
So I stopped in to pick up a menu. None of the tables were filled but all the booths along the wall were seemed occupied. It was a little weird how people were seated. Maybe everyone chose a booth.
It is their grand opening and they have half price rolls.
The menu seems pretty much the same as all the other places around here, including sono and the one in holmdel, each about a quarter mile in either direction. Is it me or is this the same cookie cutter menu that all places have around here?
At half price I might have to go try a few rolls. @joonjoon talk to me
3 Likes
In short, yes.
They have identical menus. That’s why I was kind of bummed. I want to try it out and hope the food is good, but none of these places seem to offer anything special.
Based on what you posted, it does not appear to be fusion which is one saving grace in my eyes.
1 Like
Funny this thread popped up, I just had lunch at the Chinese Buffet in Hazlet and was thinking about sushi as an alternative. Not the best buffet (with some food that was clearly recycled from the previous day, and poorly) but not bad when it’s 10 bucks for AYCE shrimp!
I really like the 2 half price joints in Freehold so I’m expecting this place to be just as good. If you think about it 6 bucks for a roll is kind of an absurd price. That’s 1 dollar for 1 piece of roll. If you haven’t been to Fusha or Oyako in Freehold it’s definitely good cheap eats. I’m excited to have a good 1/2 price sushi place nearby!
